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When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?”
Joshua 5:13-14
“God is on our side.” This mantra, this slogan, is the lie of emperors, kings and presidential hopefuls. Joshua sees this man and asks the question we all ask, “Are you on my side or not? Are you for me or against me?” Here is Joshua, God’s appointed leader and servant of God’s people. He is the good guy. We deal with a lot of ambiguity in our experience with political leaders. However, there is nothing to question about Joshua. We know he is the hero, but our God makes a point that cannot be overstated – God is not on anyone’s side, not even Joshua’s side. He is God, not the token of a person, nation, or a political party. “God with us” should be struck from our currency. Not merely because it is doubtful these days, but because it rejects the glory and greatness of our God. We belong to Him, not He to us. The commander of the armies of the Living God has now come, and His name is Jesus. It is because I am His that He is mine.